Television service providers often provide television service to television subscribers through a television receiver, also referred to sometimes as a set-top box (“STB”). The television receivers execute various software applications including, for example, a user interface for interacting with the television receiver, a software application for obtaining and providing a programming guide, a software application for displaying content on a television, and a software application for providing digital video recorder (“DVR”) functionality. These software features of the television receiver have the advantage of being flexible to provide functionality to the television subscriber but the disadvantage of not being very secure. Content or functionality thieves can hack television receivers to obtain unpaid-for services and content or repurpose the STB for some other use. Repurposing is a problem as STBs are often subsidized and the service provider wants to get value for the subsidy. Therefore, there is a need for more secure software functionality on a television receiver.